Very Good Friday
by ajfankeith
Summary: An Easter story. This is a stand-alone piece, but continues on from 'Happy Birthday Aaron' and 'The Christmas Break'.
1. Chapter 1

Very Good Friday

_-O-_

_DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV._

_-O-_

Jackson was awake first. He smiled as he looked at a slumbering Aaron beside him: he always thought that his boyfriend looked so gorgeous when he was asleep. Awake, he could be unpredictable, but when he slept it was as if his moody and sullen demeanour did not exist.

Aaron roused and saw Jackson staring at him with a goofy grin on his face, "What time is it?" he asked.

"Seven o'clock," Jackson replied.

"SEVEN O'CLOCK!" Aaron exclaimed, "Why didn't you wake me, I'll be late now."

"Late for what?"

"Work, you div."

"It's you that's the div," Jackson said with a self-satisfied smirk, "It's Good Friday, or has Cain got you working on bank holidays now?"

"Oh yeah," Aaron became calmer, "I forgot."

"I've got something for you," Jackson retrieved a paper bag from the bedside cabinet and handed it to his boyfriend.

Aaron put his hand inside the bag and pulled out a Smarties Easter Egg, he looked at it in disbelief as much as surprise, "How old am I? Five?" he said, sarcastically.

"I thought you'd like an egg for Easter," Jackson pouted, "You're never too old for a chocolate fix."

"Well, I suppose so," Aaron looked embarrassed, "I haven't got anything for you though."

"Doesn't matter," Jackson replied, but Aaron knew that it did matter to Jackson and he was determined to do something about it.

"I like Easter," Aaron said.

"What do you like about it?" Jackson was surprised when Aaron actually admitted to liking anything at all.

"Well, its spring, isn't it? Paddy will be busy with the lambing season on the farms and all the trees start to grow their leaves...and then there are hot crossed buns, that sort of thing."

"Hot crossed buns, eh?" Jackson had a wicked gleam in his gorgeous brown eyes, "I'm partial to some hot buns myself!" He made a grab for Aaron's pert buttocks.

Aaron gave Jackson one of his trademark looks, "Trust you, randy sod! I was talking about all the things springing to life...the fresh new beginnings."

"Aaron Livesy, you're a soft git! You'll be telling me you love all the flowers and little bunny rabbits next," Jackson adopted a high-pitched voice.

"Sod off!"

"That's better," Jackson chuckled, "For a minute there I thought you were going to go all weak and feeble on me."

Aaron smirked, "Weak and feeble am I? I'm not when I do a certain thing that bunnies are good at!"

"Oh yeah, I can guess what _that_ is," Jackson's broad grin was unmistakable and he soon had confirmation of Aaron's intimation when his boyfriend pounced on him to give him a demonstration of exactly what it was that rabbits were well known for!

At breakfast, Aaron boiled some eggs while Jackson toasted some slices of bread. They sat at the kitchen table and Aaron placed two eggs in front of Jackson, "Here's your Easter eggs," he said with a grin.

"Well, they're not chocolate ones, but I suppose they're more healthy," Jackson smiled at his boyfriend.

"After you got me that Easter egg, I feel bad not giving you one."

"You 'gave me one' before breakfast!" Jackson had a lecherous grin on his handsome face.

"I was talking about eggs!" Aaron was, unusually, not responding to Jackson's suggestive remarks.

Jackson knew that sometimes Aaron would act all coy and embarrassed, so he did not pursue it any further, "Anyway, I'll eat these and then I'll have to get off to the site," he said.

"But...it's Good Friday," Aaron observed.

"I know, but a lot of builders work on Good Friday, it's sort of a tradition, I'm only doing a few hours and then I'll be all yours!"

A little while later, Jackson left for the building site and Aaron took advantage of his time alone to put a plan into action. He rang a couple of restaurants in Hotten but they were fully booked for the evening, however he eventually found one with a table. He decided to ring Jackson on his mobile to make sure that his boyfriend would keep the evening free.

Jackson sounded suspicious, "What are you up to?"

"Who says I'm up to anything?" Aaron replied, innocently, although he always found it difficult to fool Jackson.

"Aaron!" Jackson frowned, although his facial expression was not visible to his boyfriend, "You're cooking something up in that feverish little brain of yours...now SPILL!"

"All I'll say is that I've got something planned so don't make any arrangements," Aaron was hoping to keep his secret a little longer.

"Why?" Jackson enquired.

"Look, do you have to question everything? I want to surprise you, but you're making it really difficult," Aaron sounded frustrated.

"Alright, I'll play along," Jackson did not want to test Aaron's patience...or lack of it.

"Good! Just do as you're told for once," Aaron had a self-satisfied smirk on his face and knew that he was getting his own way this time.

After he had finished his call, Aaron headed into town. He wanted to buy something for Jackson, to prove how much the young builder meant to him and he wanted their evening together to be really special. He was not usually a very affectionate person, but he knew that Jackson was an incurable romantic and he realised that he would do anything to please his brilliant boyfriend.

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That evening, after arrival home from work, Jackson was dressed up to the nines along with an equally smart Aaron, when they heard a taxi outside sounding its horn. Jackson was still none the wiser as to Aaron's plans, but he knew that his boyfriend wanted to play things close to his chest, so he went along with the game for his sake.

"Taxi's here," Aaron announced.

"Where are we going?" Jackson's curiosity was getting the better of him and he was hoping that he could coax Aaron into telling him about his intentions.

"You know what I said...it's a surprise!" Aaron was staying tight-lipped.

"OK," Jackson gave in. It was obvious that his boyfriend wanted to surprise him and he was enjoying the little cat-and-mouse game that he was playing.

As Aaron had booked over the phone, he had no idea whether the restaurant would be a nice one, but he needn't have worried. It was right on the riverside and the couple were given a window seat overlooking the river and a lovely park on the opposite bank, with neatly-kept lawns surrounded by trees. It was getting dark, but the lamplights along the riverside path and in the park illuminated the scene.

"It's lovely here," Jackson smiled as the waiter showed them to their table, "I could get used to this."

The waiter, a young, dark-haired guy with a nice-looking face and toned body under his tight-fitting uniform, smiled at the couple and gave them each a menu, "Would you like anything to drink, gentlemen?"

Aaron and Jackson ordered a bottle of wine and looked at their menus. The dishy waiter returned with their wine and poured each of them a glass.

"What do you recommend?" Jackson asked the waiter while pointing at his menu.

"The salmon Wellington is very nice," the waiter answered, "The fish is freshly caught locally. Have you decided yet?"

"We'll think about it for a few more minutes," Aaron replied for both of them.

"As you wish, sir," the waiter replied with a smile, "Just let me know when you're ready," he left them to make up their minds.

"I fancy the waiter's recommendation," Aaron announced after some deliberation.

"I thought you were going to say you fancied the waiter, he's quite fit!" Jackson laughed.

"Behave yourself!" Aaron grimaced but chuckled at the same time.

"Anyway, trust you to pick the most expensive thing on there, no wonder the waiter suggested that," Jackson rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't matter...I'm paying."

"Listen Aaron...about that," Jackson turned serious, "You can't afford all this, let's go Dutch."

"But, I want to treat you...for Easter."

Jackson looked fondly at his boyfriend, "You _are_ treating me, giving me this surprise and bringing me here to this lovely restaurant, you don't have to spend a fortune on me."

"I know, but I just felt bad when you bought me an Easter egg and I hadn't got one to give you back," Aaron looked embarrassed.

"I told you it didn't matter! Anyway, this is way too extravagant as a payback for a chocolate egg."

"But, it's not just about the egg," Aaron had also turned serious, "I didn't get you anything for your birthday last year and not much for Christmas either. I know I'm a moody git a lot of the time and I don't tell you how I feel because I often think it's soppy, but I want to show you what you mean to me."

Jackson's beautiful brown eyes looked moist, "You don't have to tell me, Aaron. I do know how you feel...just by the way you are with me. I feel the same."

A silent acknowledgement passed between them as they gazed into each other's eyes.

The waiter served their salmon Wellington and they tucked into their meal with relish. They were both having a good time and they chatted contentedly as they ate and looked through the window at the twilight view outside.

After their main course, they both opted for lemon sorbet for dessert and, once they had enjoyed that, Jackson looked at Aaron fondly and he could tell that his boyfriend had something on his mind, "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I can never hide anything from you, can I? Except this, perhaps," Aaron took a small bag from under the table and handed it to Jackson.

Jackson opened the bag to find a foil-wrapped chocolate egg inside. He could tell that the foil had previously been unwrapped and then replaced, "Thanks, but you shouldn't have," he chuckled.

"Open it!" Aaron said, impatiently.

"What?" Jackson misunderstood Aaron's instruction.

"Open the egg...there's something inside."

Jackson unwrapped the foil and separated the two halves of the chocolate egg. Inside was a small jeweller's box. Nervously and with his fingers trembling slightly, he opened the box to find a platinum ring.

"It's an eternity ring," Aaron explained, "I want you to wear it...to prove to the world that you're my fella!"

"OH!" Jackson could not find the words. He had always known that Aaron had the capacity to surprise him, but this was beyond all his expectations, "I don't know what to say..."

"Put it on," Aaron was hoping that Jackson liked the ring as well as the gesture and that he had not just made the biggest fool of himself.

Jackson took the ring and slipped it onto his finger, "It fits perfectly," he said as his eyes glistened with the emotion of it all.

"Now, if anyone asks what the ring symbolises, you can tell them," Aaron had an earnest yet soft look on his handsome face, "...it was given to you by your boyfriend, who thinks the world of you."

Jackson was, for once, speechless. Aaron had laid his heart on the line and he had never been happier than he was at that moment, he put his hands across the table to grasp Aaron's in his own.

"So, you like it then?" Aaron asked: eager to please his lover.

Jackson turned his hand so that he could look at the ring on his finger, "It's beautiful, it's the best thing that anyone's ever given me. I love it! I'll never take it off...thank you so much."

Aaron wanted to kiss Jackson but felt that he could not do it in a crowded restaurant, but he knew that he would have his chance later when he and Jackson were alone in their bedroom, which was their little sanctuary away from the prying eyes of the world. For that moment, they were content to gaze longingly into each other's eyes and share in the special moment that would live on in their memories.

_-O-_

_FOOTNOTE: Thank you for reading...happy Easter everyone._


	2. Chapter 2

Very Good Friday – Chapter 2

_-O-_

_DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV._

_-O-_

_To all those who reviewed chapter one: thank you so much. This Easter story was destined to be a 'one-shot', but the positive response has inspired me to add another chapter. _

_-O-_

Aaron had been right about one thing, the lambing season was keeping Paddy busy on the farms surrounding Emmerdale and, even though it was Easter Saturday, the vet was out somewhere dealing with a problem with the birth of some lambs. Aaron knew from past experience that Paddy would probably be gone for most of the day and it was likely that he and Jackson would have the house to themselves for a while. They sat in the kitchen of Smithy Cottage having spent the night together in Aaron's room as had become their custom. Jackson's cheeky grin lit up the room and Aaron adored the look on his boyfriend's face. In fact, the young builder hadn't stopped smiling since the previous evening when Aaron had surprised him with an eternity ring. Every now and then, Jackson would look at the ring on his finger and his expression was a mixture of pleasure and pride. He would never have thought that Aaron could be so spontaneous and generous and he realised that he was falling in love with the surly young mechanic. However, he also knew the gargantuan struggle that Aaron had been through, just to accept his sexuality, so he still approached the lad with caution, he felt that one false move could ruin everything, although he had been given heart by Aaron's touching gesture and he decided to test the waters a little further.

"Thanks for last night," Jackson looked up from the ring on his finger to look into Aaron's perfect blue eyes, "It was lovely of you to surprise me like that. The meal was delicious: we'll have to go there again sometime."

"You paid for half of it," Aaron was playing down his uncharacteristic display of generosity, "I wanted to pay for your meal but you wouldn't let me."

Jackson was well used to this sort of response from his boyfriend by this time and he brushed it aside, "I couldn't let you pay for it all and besides, you bought me this," Jackson held up his hand to display his ring, "Last night's little soiree must have cost you a fortune."

Aaron gazed back into Jackson's beautiful chocolate brown eyes, "I've been saving up and anyway, you're worth it!" he said, simply and with feeling.

Jackson stood up and crossed over to Aaron, he put his hands either side of his boyfriend's face and drew him into a kiss. They had kissed passionately so many times the previous night, in the privacy of their bedroom, but this one was loving and gentle, an expression of deeply held feelings which were about to be expressed, "Aaron, you know how I feel about ya, don't ya?"

Aaron looked fondly into his boyfriend's eyes, he knew that they had reached a turning point in their relationship and emotions which they both felt, deep down, were about to be aired, "Yeah, I do, I...um, feel the same."

Jackson could sense Aaron's hesitancy, this was something major in Aaron's make-up, an unwillingness to show his emotions or to let someone though his defensive wall. But, he could feel that Aaron was on the verge of taking that one giant step and he felt privileged that he was the one that Aaron could trust and that the mechanic felt confident with him, he decided to take the bull by the horns, "I love ya, Aaron."

Aaron felt as if a light bulb had suddenly switched on inside his head. For so long, he had denied being gay, denied having 'those' feelings for another man, denied a part of himself. But, he could not deny the strong, overpowering sensations coursing through him at that moment. He had given Jackson a sign, with the ring, of the way he was feeling and he could not back down now. This was the moment of truth and he wanted Jackson to know that his love was not an unrequited one, he needed Jackson to stay in his life: nothing had ever been so important to him before. He cleared his throat to make his declaration, "I love ya too, Jackson."

Jackson could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, this was even better than being given the ring! He was waiting for Aaron to backtrack and say that it was all a joke on his part, but Aaron was being serious, he had finally admitted that he loved him. He kissed his boyfriend again, partly because he wanted to, but partly because he didn't want Aaron to see the tears running down his cheeks at that moment. It was a hopeless task though, as Aaron drew back to stare into his face again. The young mechanic wiped Jackson's tears away with his thumbs, "You big, soft git!" Aaron chuckled, although his own blue eyes looked watery too, "You're supposed to be happy...or have you just realised that you've got a moody, stroppy chav for a lover?"

Jackson had to laugh, even in an emotionally charged situation such as this, Aaron could always find the humour in it, "Yeah," he replied, "Sod my luck, eh?"

They both burst out laughing, the serious mood shattered. Jackson looked into eyes so blue, eyes that held a simple honesty and loyalty, "You know what I want to do now?"

"What?" Aaron smiled.

"Well, we've just declared our undying love for each other, so I think that we should cement our new relationship." Jackson could not stop grinning.

Aaron had a lecherous grin on his handsome face, "And how are we going to do that?" he asked.

Jackson took Aaron's hand and pulled him towards the stairs, "There's a bed with our names on it upstairs, just waiting for us to demonstrate our feelings."

"Is that why you said you loved me, so that I'd agree to go to bed with you?" Aaron's smirk was well known to his boyfriend.

"You didn't have any objections to sleeping with me last night," Jackson's own smirk matched Aaron's, "and I hadn't told you I loved you then."

Aaron pulled Jackson into another embrace, "Well, I'm just a slut, I'd jump into bed with anybody who's interested...didn't you know?"

"What have I let myself in for?" Jackson giggled, "I thought you only had eyes for me!"

As much as Aaron loved their light-hearted banter, he turned serious again, "You are the ONLY one I'd buy a ring for...so you must be something pretty special."

Jackson kissed Aaron again, this time with a little more passion and fire, "As long as I wear your ring, I'm yours and you can do whatever you want with me...but, please be gentle," Jackson pouted and fluttered his eyelashes.

Aaron took Jackson's hand again and pulled him up the stairs, "You are a Muppet," he chortled.

They were soon naked and lying on their bed. They touched, they kissed and they fingered their partner in all their intimate places...hands, lips, and tongues exploring each other. They were desperate to show one and other how they felt, to give the other one the satisfaction of knowing that they were loved, completely. This was the umpteenth time that they had made love, but, since they had declared their feelings for each other earlier, there was a new excitement, a little crackle of electricity as their bodies came into direct contact, skin on skin. Jackson did indeed love his Aaron, he loved everything about him: the sparkling blue eyes, the handsome face, the gorgeous smile, the athletic body. But, as physically appealing as Aaron was, there was more...so much more. The boyish charm, the sense of humour, the tough exterior which was reserved for the outside world, yet a loving, caring side hidden underneath: a side that only the privileged few ever got to see. Aaron was everything that Jackson had ever wanted.

Aaron had finally realised that he loved Jackson. The young builder was the only man that he had ever wanted to share a bed with. Jackson had helped him to come out, shown him that it was alright to be himself...his true self. He loved the dark, curly hair, the neat stubble, the wonderful, expressive face with gleaming white teeth and big, brown come-to-bed eyes. But, like Jackson, Aaron found so much more in his partner than just a physical attraction. Jackson was kind, patient, loving and so gorgeous in countless ways. He knew how lucky he had been to find such a wonderful bloke the first time he went looking. That first, nervous foray into a gay bar seemed a lifetime away now. In a way, it was indeed another lifetime, as Aaron had discovered a new life with his brilliant partner, a life far away from the frightened, angry teenager in denial. That was all in the past now and he could concentrate on a new future with his soul-mate by his side. It gave him solace and peace: things that he had never found before in his young life. Being with Jackson felt so right, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that had slotted into place to complete a picture.

For a short time, after they had shown their love to each other in the most intimate way possible, they just stared at the ceiling, calming down from the heights of passion that they had taken each other to. Aaron was first to speak, "I'm hungry now."

Jackson could not resist a sarcastic comment, even in such circumstances, "I'm not surprised...you've certainly been doing something to build up an appetite!"

Aaron looked at his partner, "I know: so have you! Wait a minute...we haven't eaten our eggs yet, have we?" So saying, he retrieved his own Easter egg from the bedside table, the egg that his lovely Jackson had given him. After unwrapping it, he broke a piece of chocolate off. Jackson expected his boyfriend to start feeding his own face but instead, Aaron offered the morsel to Jackson's lips and he bit into it with his teeth. Jackson then copied Aaron's actions, breaking off another piece of chocolate and feeding it to Aaron, who chuckled as he nearly took off Jackson's fingers with his bite. There was something sexy about feeding each other, like a secret ritual, only between themselves and excluding the rest of the world. They were happy, content and loved-up, no-one to interrupt them or spoil their moment of happiness.

"Happy Easter, babe," Jackson said, with a broad grin on his attractive face, "Love you."

Aaron was also grinning: he had never looked so handsome and relaxed, "Happy Easter, gorgeous...love you too."


End file.
